Cambodia : Children

Nope, I did not do an Angelina Jolie i.e. adopt a kid.

Kids in Cambodia really tug at one's heart-strings. They crowd round tourists, with pleas to buy their goods, asking for candy, even requesting for a pen in order to go to school ... Sure, one can help one kid, maybe 10 kids, but at every turn and at every corner, there are countless kids peddling their wares. Just how many can one help?

I did realise something though. Cambodian kids love to count. Like Count Dracula. For example, while trying to sell postcards, they love to flip and count the number of postcards that one can buy for US$1. Very cute and very charming. Especially the little girls.

Talk about emotional blackmail too. In one instance, Lak and I were making our way to see Sras Srang when we were bombarded by a bunch of kids who were so sweet as to give us a rattan bangle each as a token of 'friendship' even though we declined profusely. Thereafter, they asked us to patronize their drinks stall when we were done with sightseeing. How not to refuse? Especially with one of them calling out my name as we were making our way back.

I only managed to capture one shot of this lil girl looking very serene and sweet sitting outside Banteay Srei.